A Place to Succeed
Meet a few of the students, alumni, faculty and staff who have found success at RIT/NTID.
Don Petit-Homme
“I came to RIT/NTID because I wanted new opportunities and new experiences,” says Don Petit-Homme.
And that’s exactly what he found. The 36-year-old transfer student likes to stay active, so he hits the gym in RIT’s new Gordon Field House to work out several times a week. He also enjoys running and playing tennis, and even joined RIT’s crew team for a few months.
Don also works part-time as a custodian in the residence halls on campus. And he makes time to serve on a number of committees for RIT’s International House, an organization that provides opportunities for students to learn about a variety of cultures and customs.
Don was born in Haiti and lived there until age 10 when his parents moved the family to Baltimore, Md., seeking better educational opportunities for their children.
After high school, he attended Gallaudet University for two years before leaving to travel and work.
Because he enjoys working with people, Don accepted a job in a group home and later at Maryland School for the Deaf, where he worked one-on-one with students as a residence hall counselor.
After working for a number of years, Don decided he wanted to continue his education, and chose RIT/NTID because of the quality of the academic programs available to him here.
“RIT/NTID is a wonderful place that offers excellent access to information as well as opportunities for deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing people to interact,” he says.
Accounting Technology is a perfect major for Don because he enjoys working with numbers and is skilled in mathematics. He plans to pursue a career in accounting, but also has an interest in civil engineering and architecture, and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of extending his education to study in those fields.
For now, he says, “I’m looking forward to completing an accounting co-op assignment this summer. I sent out my resume to companies in New York City, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia. I’ve had a number of interviews and am waiting to find out where my assignment will be.”
From the Spring/Summer 2005 issue of FOCUS magazine